#MYANMAR: Gov't Fires UN Ambassador After Defiant Anti-Coup Speech

[world politics news]

Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations has been fired, a day after he urged the UN to use 'any means necessary' to reverse the Feb. 1 coup. The envoy said he was speaking on behalf of the ousted civilian government. State television said Kyaw Moe Tun 'betrayed the country.'

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TURKEY: Pres. Erdogan's 2018 Rival Forms New Party

[world politics news]

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top rival in Turkey's 2018 election said on Monday he would quit the main opposition party and establish his own movement.

Muharrem Ince, a former Republican People's Party Member of Parliament, picked up 30.6 percent of the vote in the last election behind Erdogan with 52.6 percent.

Ince was a combative force during the campaign, building up solid support despite Erdogan and his ruling party's alliance partner, the Nationalist Movement Party, announcing the vote just months in advance.

Since then, Ince has stayed in the limelight and brandished his secular, nationalist credentials in a nationwide tour dubbed the "Motherland movement in 1,000 days" in 2020.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: State Liberal Party Leader Concedes Defeat In March Election

[world politics news]

Western Australia's Liberal Party Leader Zak Kirkup has conceded defeat ahead of the March state election, admiting he would likely not be voted in on polling day.

However, Kirkup said he would continue campaigning to ensure that local candidates are elected to Parliament.

In tweets posted early on Wednesday morning, Mr Kirkup said Western Australians were informing him that Premier Mark McGowan’s job was not in danger.

"As I get around the state, many West Aussies are telling me Mark McGowan’s job is safe. We have to acknowledge that, because I don’t want to treat people like mugs. 

 

I’m not going to stop fighting, but I’m not going to pretend & make this election about something it’s not. If the Premier is re-elected, your vote matters for an entirely different reason.

 

Your vote is about who will fight for you locally. Your vote matters because you will need a strong Liberal Party when Labor gets it wrong or goes too far."

Labor Party Premier Mark McGowan responded to the tweets through the media on Thursday morning, indicating the opposition leader gave up.

“Well the West Australian way is to never give up,” he told reporters.

“The election hasn’t been held yet and we have to respect the people of Western Australia and let them have their say.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: #Alberta Premier Condemns "Racist" Rally At Legislature

[world politics news]

The convergence of people protesting everything from Alberta's COVID-19 restrictions and the imprisonment of a local church pastor, to racism, at the provincial legislature last Saturday was a tense meeting that ended with at least one person in police custody.

The crowds began to gather around 2 p.m. in Edmonton just when an anti-racism rally was scheduled to take place.

Within hours, a group called Walk for Freedom protesting COVID-19 public health measures had marched to the government grounds, those at the front carrying a banner that read "protecting our civil liberties" and burning torches.

48 hours later, Premier Jason Kenney took to Twitter to condemn the rally and some racist elements that had been promoting it.

"While Albertans value the constitutionally-protected freedoms of speech & assembly, they also believe in the dignity of every human being, and have no time for voices of division & hate or the symbols that they represent."

I understand this rally incorporated an image apparently taken from the notorious 2017 torch rally, which was an explicitly white supremacist event. Prominent racists promoted Saturdays protest at the legislature. I condemn these voices of bigotry in the strongest possible terms." 

Kenney received criticism for waiting 48 hours before speaking out against the rally, which was condemned by other political parties and political leaders."

Former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Leader of the Opposition New Democrats, tweeted:

"Jason Kenney was asked why he didn't speak against the protests this weekend that featured racist torches. He said he didn't want to comment on something that was about him. Let that sink in.

Leadership means standing up for your beliefs, standing up to those that spread hate."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TURKSANDCAICOS: Opposition Party Sweeps All But One Seat In Parliament

[world politics news]

The main opposition Progressive National Party (PNP) has won a landslide victory in the Turks and Caicos general election.

Led by businessman Charles Washington Misick, brother of a former prime minister, the PNP obtained a 14 to 1 victory over the incumbent People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).

The opposition party won nine of the 10 electoral district seats and all five of the At Large seats.

Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands in the Atlantic Ocean, a British Overseas Territory southeast of the Bahamas.

Election observers said the election was "free and fair" and reflected the "tranquility of society" on the islands.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Britain To Apply For Membership In Trans-Pacific Partnership Trading Bloc

[world politics news]

The UK will shortly submit its formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trading bloc, said UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss.

The CPTPP is a trading bloc established in 2018 between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The United States withdrew from the TPP in 2017, leading to the failure of the original trade deal, which required all signatories to agree. It was reconstituted in December, 2018 with the current members.

[FULL STORY HERE] 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world. 

 

#FINLAND: Report: Parliament Emails Likely Compromised Last Fall In Cyber Attack

[world politics news]

The data system of the Finnish Parliament was hacked in the autumn of 2020.

The Parliament’s communication department stated that the cyberattack was detected during internal technical surveillance and may have compromised the data security of some e-mail accounts, including accounts assigned to Members of the Parliament.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anu Vehviläinen, of the Centre Party said the cyber attack is a serious attack against democracy and society in Finland. The attack is being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LEBANON: Foreign Minister Urges Return Of Syrian Refugees

[world politics news] 

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe has urged the safe return of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon to their homeland, saying their presence in Lebanon is weighing heavily on the country's economy, the National News Agency reported.

"The presence of Syrian refugees is affecting Lebanon's economy and the stability of its society," Wehbe said during his online meeting with a delegation of the French Senate.

The meeting discussed ways to help Lebanon through its deteriorating economic situation.

the international crisis group of the United Nations said in a February 2020 report (PDF opens) that while even a small number of successful repatriations to Syria represents positive news, "conditions are too dangerous for mass organized returns."

The report notes that "from the start of the Syrian war, Lebanon has been a generous host to Syrian refugees, whose numbers are now estimated at 1.5 million, more than a quarter of the overall population."

[FULL STORY HERE] 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world. 

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#AUSTRIA: Economy Slumped Worse In 4th Quarter Than Any Other In EU

[world politics news]

In the fourth quarter of the year, from October to December, the Austrian economy shrunk by - 4.3 percent compared to the previous quarter, figures show.

That figure represented a bigger drop in GDP than any other EU economy for which data was available, according to the statistical office of the European Union.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Facebook Bans Aussies From Sharing News Content

[world politics news]

In an extraordinary step, Facebook has banned Australian users and publishers from sharing or viewing news articles on its platform.

The move comes as hostilities grew over the Australian government’s media bargaining code, through which it was trying to force tech giants to pay Australian media outlets for using news content in a bid to sustain the future of journalism.

The world-first laws, however, prompted a hostile reception from both Google and Facebook. 

World Politics News has reported that Google had earlier threatened to block all searches in Australia on its platform if the law passed.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: All Parties In Coalition Gov't Except The Small Right-Leaning "Brothers Of Italy" Party

[world politics news]

Every political party in Italy has joined the government in a coalition to support prime minister  Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, except one.

The Right-leaning Brothers of Italy, which is currently polling at about 7%, has voted to remain the sole party in opposition. Despite the male name, the party is headed by a woman, Giorgia Meloni.

The party leader posted on Twitter that the directors of the party unanimously approved her proposal to vote against joining the government of Draghi.

“We do not believe it is possible to try to rebuild Italy with the same people who contributed to destroying it," she said.

Being the opposition party has advantages. The opposition party is entitled to airtime on the public TV station, for instance.

Meloni said the party, which was founded in 2012, will act as a "patriotic opposition."

Party senator Alberto Balboni said on the Senate floor Wednesday:

"In times of crisis, democracy must be strengthened and we in the opposition will guarantee democratic dialogue, without which democracy is destined to end up in a swamp of unanimity."

The anti-EU party has as its principles defending Italy's national identity, patriotism, the family, Christian values and on respect for the rules and on greater liberalism in the economy as well as fairer taxation.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#KOSOVO: Left Easily Wins Parliamentary Elections

[world politics news]

As expected, the Left-leaning Self-Determination Movement Party (LVV) has easily won Parliamentary elections in Kosovo, taking around 48% of the vote in Sunday’s snap poll, according to the election commission.

The party's triumph nearly doubled its last electoral showing in 2019, while Kosovo’s two traditional parties suffered historic lows. 

Sunday’s election saw the outgoing centrist Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) — a party of former rebels—drop down to 13 and 17 per cent respectively.

Polling before the election had shown the LVV well ahead of the LDK.

The October 2019 parliamentary elections saw opposition Self-Determination Movement Party emerge as the largest faction in parliament, finishing just ahead of the Democratic League of Kosovo. 

The snap election was made necessary after the nation's Constitutional Court ruled that the parliamentary vote electing a new government in June, 2020 was unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court ruled December 21 that the election of the government of Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti was illegal because one member of parliament who voted for the government had previously served time in prison. 

That member had been the 61st vote for Hoti, and 61 votes in the 120-member body is necessary to form a government, throwing the country's electoral system into chaos.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THENETHERLANDS: Courts Battle Over First Curfew Since Nazi Occupation

[world politics news]

A Dutch appeals court has ruled that the government’s controversial coronavirus curfew must stay in place until a hearing later this week to decide whether the measure is legal.

The government had been stunned when a lower court judge ruled earlier that it must immediately lift the Netherlands’ first curfew since the second world war because it had wrongly used emergency powers to invoke it.

The case against the curfew – which sparked the worst riots in the Netherlands for decades – was launched by the Viruswaarheid (Virus Truth) group, which has led a series of protests against coronavirus measures in the Netherlands.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: New Law Would Allow Paid Maternity Leave For Cabinet Members

[world politics news]

The Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson will bring forward legislation - to be debated in Parliament - that would provide mothers in the Cabinet with six months of paid leave.

Maternity leave will become available to ministers only following a change in the law to allow Attorney General Suella Braverman to take time off after having her second child.

It is believed she will become the most senior member the Cabinet to have a baby while in office.

However, current rules would force Braverman to resign if she wanted to take time off after the birth, prompting the change.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: Former EU Central Bank Head Becomes Prime Minister

[world politics news]

The former head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, has been sworn-in as Italy's next prime minister.

Draghi put together a unity government of the main political parties, following the collapse of the previous administration last month.

It was thrown into chaos amid a row over how to spend EU coronavirus recovery funds.

Italy is still grappling with the pandemic and is also facing its worst economic crisis in decades.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Ten-Year Prison Sentences For Returning Travelers Who Lie About Covid Country Travels

[world politics news]

British rrsidents returning from abroad face up to 10 years in prison if they break travel rules, and they must quarantine in hotel upon returning from certain countries, under new rules announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock this week.

Passengers returning from one of the 33 designated ‘red list’ countries will have to quarantine in government-approved hotels starting next week. 

And anyone who lies on their passenger-locator form about whether they have visited one of these countries faces imprisonment for up to 10 years. 

As the Daily Telegraph newspaper’s assistant head of travel, Oliver Smith, has pointed out, this is longer than some sentences for rape (the average sentence is around eight years).

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDIA: Gov't Bans 59 Chinese Apps, Including TikTok And WeChat

[world politics news]

Amid tense China-India relations, the Indian Electronics and Information Technology Department issued the latest notice that 59 Chinese mobile apps, including TikTok, Baidu, WeChat, and UC browsers, will be permanently banned from June this year.

Indian media and Reuters reported that the Indian authorities announced the "permanent ban" of 59 Chinese mobile apps, including TikTok, Baidu, WeChat, UC Browser, Helo, Likee, etc. 

Authorities announced the ban on these 59 applications, saying that the relevant applications have security problems, "endangering India’s sovereignty and integrity, national defense, national security, and public safety." At the same time, it has received many consumer complaints about some of these applications.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: National Party Senator Says Foreign Nations Shouldn't Lecture On Climate

[world politics news]

Australia should stand up to foreign powers threatening to “punch it in the face” over climate change, an outspoken National Party senator says.

The National Party he's in a coalition government with Morrison's Liberal Party.

National Party MPs have threatened a revolt after Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed a softening position on a 2050 net zero emissions target.

The Prime Minister said technology would drive Australia’s bid to reduce carbon emissions, but the government has yet to commit to a net zero target.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TURKEY: Pres. Erdogan Likely Seeking Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan Helping

[world politics news] 

Reports suggest that Turkey's president is eager to obtain nuclear weapons, and there are indications that Pakistan is eager to help them do so.

The reports will likely take many politicians in Europe and North America by surprise, because it has not been widely reported in the western media.

Late last year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of his frustration at not having a nuclear arsenal.

“Several countries have missiles with nuclear warheads, not one or two. But [they tell us that] we can’t have them. This I cannot accept,” Erdogan said on the centennial of the Turkish independence movement in October. “There is no developed nation in the world that doesn’t have them.”

In fact, many developed countries do not have nuclear weapons. Only nine countries - the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel - possess nuclear weapons, with Washington and Moscow owning 93% of them.

Erdogan is also on record as saying that he resents the fact that regional neighbor Israel has nuclear weapons.

Turkey has likely been watching North Korea's nuclear program with great interest as well, wondering why the international community has been tolerating that nations development of nuclear weapons.

High-level talks between Turkey and Pakistan occurred late last year, and reports indicated that the topic of those meetings was primarily the obtaining of nuclear weapons.

The United States and others have reminded the NATO nation that it is a signatory to the non-proliferation agreement, which attempts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Officials Refuse To Renew Visas For Taiwan Diplomats Without Signing "One China" Document

[world politics news] 

Taiwan officials have been denied visa renewals in Hong Kong by the pro-Beijing government and have been forced to leave the city-state.

Several Taiwan officials of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong  were reportedly declined visa renewals by the Hong Kong government, because they refused to sign statements in support of the “One China" Principle.

To do so would mean they accepted mainland Communist China's sovereignty over Taiwan, which has been self-governing since 1945.

As a result, they had to return to Taiwan, leaving only 12 officials in their office in Hong Kong. 

Visa documents of four Taiwan officials were either expired or about to expire. The officials made applications for visa renewals but they had not heard from the Hong Kong authorities for as long as 6 months. It was suspected that the authorities have been stalling their applications in an attempt to disrupt the office's operation. 

It was reported that there were once 20 officials in the office, which was set up last summer to help Hong Kong citizens who wanted to flee the city-state after the mainland imposed a new security law and the city's government began cracking down on dissidents.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Prime Minister Netanyahu's Trial Resumes

[world politics news]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  told judges in a Jerusalem court Monday that he was innocent of fraud and bribery charges.

Netanyahu, 71, pleaded not guilty on Monday to corruption charges at the resumption of his trial just six weeks before Israeli voters again pass judgment on his leadership in a national election.

He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THAILAND: Woman Sentenced To Jail For Insulting The Monarchy

[world politics news] 

A Thai woman convicted of insulting the royal family has been jailed for more than 43 years, a legal rights group said, the harshest punishment ever handed out under the country’s strict lese majeste laws.

The verdict comes as Thailand ramps up its use of the controversial legislation against democracy protesters, whose demands include reforms to the ultra-powerful monarchy.

The woman was charged with 23 counts, which brought a sentence of 87 years in prison. Reports say this sentence was reduced after she confessed.

[FULL STORY HERE] 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world. 

 

#EGYPT: Parliament Says Information Minister Can't Run Media Production Company, Too

[world politics news] 

Egypt's Minister of Information, Osama Heikal, told MPs that since he came to office in June 2018, he has done his best to develop the role of the ministry in defending the image of Egypt and explaining government policies.

But Members of Parliament have asked Heikal not to work as both the minister of information and the chairman of the Egyptian Media Production City (EMPC) at the same time.

Ashraf Rashad, spokesman of the Mostaqbal Watan party, which holds a majority in parliament, said, "It is illegal and in violation of the constitution that Heikal doubles as both minister of information and the EMPC's chairman at the same time."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BULGARIA: Restaurants, Bars Threaten To Reopen After Months Closed Due To Pandemic

[world politics news] 

Owners of Bulgarian restaurants and nightclubs  – which were forced to close months ago because of the pandemic – have threatened the unauthorised openings of their businesses after police and health inspectors surprised a series of ‘illegal’ parties in restaurants.

“If within two weeks there is no decision about opening our sector, all establishments will open in one day and work from then on. We have nothing to lose. We will not wait any longer," the Bulgarian Association of Restaurants’ chairman stated.

But Health Minister Kostadin Angelov said the option to open restaurants was not on the table.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CROATIA: Italian EU Parliament Members Investigating Migrant Abuse Claims Stopped At Croatian Border

[world politics news]

Croatia’s Interior Minister, Davor Bozinovic, condemned a failed visit by a group of Italian European Parliament Members to the Croatia-Bosnia border as having “the obvious intention to damage Croatia’s reputation."

He spoke out after the MEPs and accompanied reporters tried to reach the Croatian border with Bosnia and Herzegovina to check allegations that Croatian police routinely mistreat migrants and refugees trying to enter the EU member state.

The delegation was thwarted in its mission by Croatian police officers.

“This is another in a series of provocations related to the actions of the Croatian police in fulfilling their tasks, and that is the protection of the state border,” Bozinovic told the media.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: #London Transportation Agency Proposes $7.50 Entry Fee To Drive Into The City

[world politics news]

Drivers could be charged up to £5.50 a day $US $7.52) to enter Greater London under radical plans to restore the finances of Transport for London.

It's part of the transportation agency's detailed proposals of how it could break even in two years include the “assumptions” that the £3.50-a-day “boundary charge”, first proposed last month by Mayor Sadiq Khan, would include an additional £2 surcharge for more polluting vehicles.

London business owners worry, however that it will devastate business in an economy that is barely surviving due to Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.